Mrs Ryan
by stevieLUVSAlex
Summary: Alex is acting really weird and Stevie is getting annoyed... when they have a fight, she ends up stealing her Ute and finding a letter that she was never meant to read. Will this be the end of their relationship or the beginning. ONE SHOT ))


**A/N: So… this was given to me as a challenge a while ago and I forgot about it *hangs head in shame* Sorry KEPC. This is for you. =)**

_God, she was beautiful_. How did he never notice this before?

It was torture watching her with Kane. He should have told him that he was stepping onto his territory when Kane had asked, but he hadn't been sure it was love then. He had just assumed he was overprotective because she was such a good friend. His best friend. But now he knew better. This was love. This was as real as his feelings for Claire had ever been and he'd do anything for her. All she had to do was ask.

Alex watched Stevie ride off into the distance, making her way to Willgul where Kane was currently residing. Alex wished he had reason to kick Kane out on his ass. Stevie was acting like a sixteen year old and frankly, it made him sick. He turned his head away and galloped off towards the next clue, with or without her.

… … …

"You coming or what?" he asked.

"Sorry… what?"

Alex had a feeling that Stevie hadn't been listening to a word he'd said.

"Still with Kane, huh?"

Stevie frowned. "What does that mean?" she asked defensively.

"You haven't heard a word I said," he shot back.

"Oh, bite ya bum, Alex."

Alex scoffed.

"What's your problem?! You're acting like my father."

"Gee, thanks," he said, shaking his head. "I was just trying to spend time with my mate."

"Well, you're being weird and clingy. I don't do clingy."

"I thought I was looking out for a friend," he growled.

"Fine, then stop pestering me."

Alex wanted to punch something. She was in one of those girly moods where no matter what he said, he was in the wrong. "Are you on the rag?"

Stevie's mouth dropped and she shot daggers at Alex. He thought she was going to tear him to pieces, instead, she rode away and left him there.

… … …

"What's with you?" Harry asked. "You've been moody for days."

"I'm fine, Harry."

"Good. Then get on with the job."

"Whatever, old man." Alex turned to leave and saw Stevie's Ute pull into the driveway. His stomach felt like firecrackers and he casually strolled toward the vehicle, trying not to move too eagerly. This was getting ridiculous. Sooner or later he was going to have to tell her how he was feeling and risk being rejected, which was very possible. Stevie had been his mate for years. He'd tried to make a go of it once, and she had insisted they just be friends. Now that they were, what would her next excuse be?

"What's up, Stevie?"

"I need to borrow some fencing wire. Jodi didn't pick up any and the place is closed and-"

It was a Saturday.

"Yeah, yeah," he said with a wave of his hand. "We got plenty."

Stevie got out of the car and followed him to the supply shed and smiled gratefully when he handed it to her. Stevie hauled the wire over her shoulder and strutted back to the Ute. Alex followed.

"I'll give it back first thing Monday morning," she said.

Alex shrugged. "Nuh, don't worry about it."

"What's up with you?" she asked, studying his face.

Alex felt the blush rise to his face. Was he that obvious?

"Nothing," he shrugged.

Stevie looked at him carefully, as if she was trying to decide whether she was lying or not. "Whatever," she said. "Thanks for this."

"Any time."

She dumped the wire in the back tray and got in behind the wheel. Alex watched the way she folded her perfect body into the vehicle. He knew he was staring but he couldn't help himself. Stevie smiled and started the engine. "See ya."

He cleared his throat. "Yeah. Bye. Hey, Steves?"

Stevie looked at him.

"You want to get a beer after work?"

She hesitated. "You gonna tell me why you're being so weird?"

Alex nodded. It was a good a time as any, he reasoned.

"Okay. Drover's at 7?"

"I'll be there."

Stevie kicked up dirt as she skidded out of his driveway and towards home.

… … …

Harry's Ute pulled to a stop by the boundary fence.

"I don't care what Alex says, I want replacement wire back in my shed by nine am on Monday morning," he said, poking his head out the window.

"Fine, Harry," she replied, not bothering to look up. It made no difference to her.

"I don't why you bother, really," he said.

Stevie stopped and looked up. "Bother about what, Harry?" The quicker she got the conversation over and done with, the quicker he'd leave and she could get back to the job at hand.

"With Alex," he said matter-of-factly. "You don't mean all that much to him, you know. It's just a bet he has with all his mates. Guy talk."

"What guy talk?"

"You know… he'd just trying to get you in the sack."

Stevie's face felt like it was on fire. "Why are you telling me this, Harry?"

"I wouldn't want you to get hurt is all."

"Yeah, you've always showed me such affection in the past," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "What does or doesn't happen with Alex and I is none of your goddamn business." She didn't bother telling him that she and Alex were only mates and that she was with Kane; she'd be wasting her breath. He'd probably call her a whore.

Harry smirked. "Don't come crying to me when you find out I was telling the truth."

"Do you even know what that word means, Harry?" she barked.

"The fencing wire," he growled. "Monday. Nine am."

"Fine."

Harry drove away, leaving Stevie seething as she finished fixing the fence.

… … …

Stevie was in a better mood by the time Alex came around at seven. He brought a six pack of beer and the two of them sat out on the veranda. He handed her a beer and helped himself to one, looking out on the land.

She could never imagine being anywhere else but here. It was the first place she had ever felt like she belonged. This was home.

"Did you say something to Harry?" Alex asked.

"Why do you ask?" she questioned, sipping her beer.

"He was in a foul mood when he got home this arvo and he was muttering something about you… I didn't catch what it was."

Stevie shrugged. "He had a go at me about the fencing wire and I put him in his place, that's all." It would benefit no one if she told him the truth. It would just mean another fight between father and son, and Alex didn't need that. "So… why have you been acting weird lately?" she said, changing the subject.

He turned on the bench, so that he was facing her better and gently lay a hand on her knee. His palms were sweaty, she could feel the heat on her leg, through her jeans. "I don't know how else to say it," he began. "You and I have always been mates…"

"Yeah," she nodded, when he fell silent.

"Well, what if we weren't?"

Stevie frowned. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"Well, I…"

"Is this about Harry?" she snapped, standing from the bench and staring him down the way she did that made him feel like she was a Queen of England.

"I only meant that-"

She thrust her beer at Alex and he caught it, as some spilt in his lap. "Get stuffed, Alex." Stevie stormed over to her Ute and got in, only to realise that her keys were inside. she got out again and looked at Alex, who was still on the bench. He was smiling. In the heat of the moment, she stalked over to his vehicle and got behind the wheel.

"OY! Stevie!" he hollered, rising from the bench. He was too late, Stevie turned the key and the engine roared to life. She drove off before he could stop her.

… … …

"Bloody stupid thing," she cursed, slamming her hands against the steering wheel.

The Ute had konked out on her. It was dark out and she didn't have a torch. She opened the door and the light came on. She looked around the car for something that would help her, and opened the glove compartment. She didn't know what she expected to find. A phone maybe.

Instead, what she discovered was a small plastic bag with photos in it. Not just any photos but photos of her… and _him_. Stevie pulled out the photos and began sifting through them one by one. they were still shots of them in places as far back as the Rodeo. Some of the photos were ten years old. Others were as recent as him playing pretend boyfriend to her ex-husband. It didn't make sense, why did he have photos of her stashed away in his Ute?

When she lifted the last photo, she discovered a folded up note. She opened it and recognised Alex's hand writing. There was a date stamped at the top. It was written yesterday.

_Dearest Stevie, _

_Some days I feel so confused about my feelings and some days, like today, I know that there's no better person in the whole world for me than you_. _I love you so damn much that it frightens me. It's the kind of love I felt with Claire. Whole. Scary. Good. _

_I don't do sappy… or maybe you make me feel like a kid again. _

_Being with you is so easy. I love it when we argue because you look so damn beautiful, sometimes I even deliberately start an argument just to see the fire in your eyes. God, woman, you're gonna be the death of me. I get so damn jealous every time I watch you with him. It makes me crazy._

_I want to tell you this but I'm afraid that you'll tell me you only care about me as a friend. I want more. So much more. I want a future with you. I want you to be the mother of my children. I want _

The letter stopped there, as if he had been interrupted.

Stevie's heart was pounding so loudly in her chest that she was afraid it would burst from her.

Harry was wrong. Alex was in love with her… maybe as much as she was in love with him. She cared about Kane, sure, but it had always been different with Alex. Pure. He had never lied to her, never cheated, never pretended to be someone else. Trust. Stevie had always trusted in him.

What was she going to say to Kane?

"Oh my God…" she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. This was insane. Scary. Amazing.

Was this her chance at a real happy ending?

"You weren't supposed to find that," a voice said.

Stevie's heart just about leapt out of her chest as she turned to find Alex standing by the door. She climbed out and stood in front of him, her neck titled upwards. Why did he have to be so tall?

"What is this?" she asked, the letter still gripped tightly in her hand.

"A letter."

"To me."

"You weren't supposed to read it."

"Why not?" she asked bluntly. "Do you feel this way?"

"Of course I do," he shrugged. "You're everything I ever wanted."

"Alex, I… I'm with Kane."

"I know. It's why you weren't supposed to read it."

"You wrote it yesterday."

Alex nodded.

Stevie shook her head, her heart telling her to kiss him.

"I didn't want to confuse you."

"I'm not confused."

"You're not?"

"No."

"How does this… I mean, are you…" he laughed at himself. "I feel like a kid again. Stevie, I love you and-"

She silenced him with a finger to his lips. "Why?"

He just looked at her. "Why not?"

"I… this is crazy."

"Is it? Or is it right?"

Stevie didn't know what to say.

"Do you think we could give it a shot, I mean… do you love Kane or…?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. But she did know. "No. I… you're crazy."

"Yes, crazy for you."

Stevie's face softened. Who would have thought a tough like Stevie would melt at a sentence like that? "You better love me for the rest of your life or I swear to God…"

"I promise. I promise. I promise."

Stevie smiled. "Okay, then…"

"Then what?"

"Then I'll love you back. I- I do love you back."

Alex grinned and gently lifted her into his arms, her feet dangling as she pressed her lips to his.

**This is a little longer than my normal ones, which is funny because all day I have been trying to break through writers block. Thank Heavens for FF. =) Reviews are loved… and so are you for giving them to me *hint, hint* =)**


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